Reality Check !

[jim solo]

After being being on the CRVL forum, reading threads and starting a few with questions about RV living. I can say I have been educated with more knowledge than I knew existed. Many great people here to help a person with getting to know how it really is out there. I hope to some day meet up with all of these Nomads, and get to know them in person. I will continue to participate in the forum while I make my adjustments to a different kind of vehicle.

     I bought this RV thinking it would be enough room for me. I was wrong, it is too roomy for me. I was looking for a permanent home on wheels. As time in it went on, I discovered that it is a great motor home, but more than I can really afford. I’ve lived with and in this RV for a year now. To do the traveling I wish to do, it would be better to down size. General, daily, monthly expenses in a smaller vehicle would fit my financial limitations more efficiently.​

     It was not built for a permanent home, just weekend and summer camping trips with shorter time spans. It was built for summer vacations of shorter duration, with a couple people, with or without children. To live in it permanently it would need to be in an RV park/camp area. I am not looking for that scenario, I want to roam around. See the things I always came close too, then reach out and touch them. I have pee’ed on both continental divides, east and west. That was something I did while driving long haul truck, had to stop and do a tire check anyway, somewhere. But, now want to put my mark in many more places.​

     Just fixing the minor things on this RV have become costly in today’s market. I just don’t have the resources to do much more. A larger catastrophe, motor, transmission, or roof would become a financial hell for me, one that I could never recover from. They are in good shape now, and no one can predict the future. I will be putting my rig up for sale as soon as I assess it’s value. And, reinvest in something that I can afford to maintain. I’ve gained a great deal of knowledge on this forum, that I can put to better use for my next vehicle. Whether it is a van or just a motorcycle and tent. I know there are folks out there that could put this RV to better use.​

 

[wagoneer]

Good move, I have had airstreams cargo vans and box trucks, all too large to deal with. As a solo traveler I found that truck campers was the solution. You will do well to downsize simplify.

 

[RoamerRV428]

second the good move

in that we all wake up one morning and say I need.....more or I need less At some point it is best to just go with your guts and find the 'new you' and want you want to handle, work wise and financial wise when things break and CAN cost a small fortune to fix! So get ya on that!

You know what you do want so go for it and I certainly agree if you want more nomadic on the road, going a bit smaller, tighter type operation of your vehicle can benefit your wallet big time!

 

[highdesertranger]

you will be fine. you already made your mistake and you learned from it and that is more important than anything. highdesertranger

 

[Queen]

Journeys of self discovery are awe inspiring things. Finding out what you truly need and want is a pretty rare thing... most folks just live in acquire mode from cradle to grave. Congrats.

 

[wagoneer]

Some of my mistakes have been great teachers, gotta pay to play. When I take a financial "hit" I pay attention. That said I may goof up again but lessons from the past stick with me.

 

[ckelly78z]

Having too much room is a good problem, you can downsize to a smaller rig, and save money. Having too little money is another problem that all of us seem to have. Hopefully, you can reinvest in a better rig that fits your needs.

 

[WanderingRose]

Small is good, completely self contained is optimal, in my opinion.

 

[B and C]

This is one of many reasons I decided on a B campervan. We always had travelled in a van but these were only for a couple of weeks at a time and had to walk around on our knees. Since we were looking to be gone 10 months a year something bigger was needed and STAND UP ROOM. I looked at C's but they were too big and wouldn't go where we were wanting to go (also not built very well). Having all the amenities and small enough to fit in a parking spot is great.

 

[Weldman]

Spent 8 years building a 5th wheel only to come to find out it’s too big for majority of RV parks or any campgrounds that is. Never finished it now stuck figuring out what next to do to get it across the US to my new home and the girlfriend wants to see me finish it. Honestly thought about taking cutting torch to it few times and still do...
Point being, the smaller your new rig is the less stress it will be to owning it on multiple fronts, though too small can be stressful too.

 

[MrNoodly]

I knew from the beginning I didn't want to exchange the burdens of a house for the burdens of a rolling house. A van has been perfect for me, and I have way less stuff in it now than when I started out seven years ago. I've discovered my happiness and contentment depend on where I am, what I'm doing and who I'm with, not on the stuff I schlepp around with me.

 

[maki2]

Just go for it and make the change. There are as many people looking to go up in size as there are people looking to go down in size

There are no rules regarding what feels best for people in terms of the size of their homes because life brings different needs in terms of the requirements of space. My life is not static, my needs change from time to time.

 

[Doubleone]

Sounds like you have a solid vision of what might work for you... I think we all kinda do the same thing, start in one direction, find out it's not for us, then we move in a different direction. I don't see it so much as a mistake, just a necessary part of the process to understand exactly what we want.

 

[deadwood]

I think RVing is definitely a case of less is more. I only had two requirements when I built my van out. I had to be able to stand up in it and I had to be able to park in a normal parking spot. Everything else could be a compromise.

But we all make our mistakes and the learning curve is steep. Once you go on the road you learn real quick what works and what doesn’t. And hopefully we learn from our mistakes.

 

[GypsyJan]

Thanks for this post. It may save some of us from making the same msitake.